Northern New Yorkers are hoping for a NYC-Lake Placid Olympics

With the success of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, Northern New Yorkers are hoping for a New York City-Lake Placid Olympics in the future. Some North Country leaders say the Empire State has many advantages to holding a third Winter Olympics.”The great alpine facilities in Lake Placid and a major metropolitan city like New York with major arenas there, we think this concept is worth looking into,” said former Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-NY 115.Jones has been working with Brooklyn Assemblyman Robert Carroll, D-NY 44, for the past three years. Together, they want to find a way to bring the Winter Olympics back to New York State.”What we’re asking for is an exploratory committee to look into all the logistics and everything that goes along with that,” said Jones.And they’re not the only ones with this dream.”Maybe down the road, Lake Placid and New York State can figure out some way to bring the Olympic Games back here,” said John Morgan during the unveiling of the Herb Brooks statue on Jan. 31 in Lake Placid.Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980.Jones said both NYC and Lake Placid have most of the infrastructure in place, citing facilities like Madison Square Garden and Mt. Van Hoevenberg that already host world-class events.”It would be great for the region, obviously would help the economy,” said Jones.Jones’ successor, Assemblyman Michael Cashman, D-NY 115, said there would be significant investments statewide if the Winter Olympics were brought back here.”It’s going to look and feel different than it did in 1980. Let’s be honest,” said Cashman. “But one of the things that it provides is not only national and local pride, but it also provides us an opportunity to get infrastructure that is critically needed here in the North Country.”Officials from the Olympic Regional Development Authority said this is an idea they’ve been floating for decades.”There’s just this Olympic spirit that lives here 365 days a year,” said Jaime Collins, ORDA’s communications manager. “We don’t need to build a new bobsled track. We don’t need to build this and that. It’s already here.”Milan and NYC are both bustling cities about a five-hour car ride away from Cortina and Lake Placid, respectively.Jones said it’s an idea people beyond New York will be excited about.”We are one state here, marrying these two regions to hold a world-class venue like the Olympics,” said Jones.While this could not be a possibility for the 2030 Winter Olympics, North Country leaders are hoping it can be a reality for the 2038 or 2042 Games.

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. —

With the success of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, Northern New Yorkers are hoping for a New York City-Lake Placid Olympics in the future. Some North Country leaders say the Empire State has many advantages to holding a third Winter Olympics.

“The great alpine facilities in Lake Placid and a major metropolitan city like New York [City] with major arenas there, we think this concept is worth looking into,” said former Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-NY 115.

Jones has been working with Brooklyn Assemblyman Robert Carroll, D-NY 44, for the past three years. Together, they want to find a way to bring the Winter Olympics back to New York State.

“What we’re asking for is an exploratory committee to look into all the logistics and everything that goes along with that,” said Jones.

And they’re not the only ones with this dream.

“Maybe down the road, Lake Placid and New York State can figure out some way to bring the Olympic Games back here,” said John Morgan during the unveiling of the Herb Brooks statue on Jan. 31 in Lake Placid.

Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980.

Jones said both NYC and Lake Placid have most of the infrastructure in place, citing facilities like Madison Square Garden and Mt. Van Hoevenberg that already host world-class events.

“It would be great for the region, obviously [it] would help the economy,” said Jones.

Jones’ successor, Assemblyman Michael Cashman, D-NY 115, said there would be significant investments statewide if the Winter Olympics were brought back here.

“It’s going to look and feel different than it did in 1980. Let’s be honest,” said Cashman. “But one of the things that it provides is not only national and local pride, but it also provides us an opportunity to get infrastructure that is critically needed here in the North Country.”

Officials from the Olympic Regional Development Authority said this is an idea they’ve been floating for decades.

“There’s just this Olympic spirit that lives here 365 days a year,” said Jaime Collins, ORDA’s communications manager. “We don’t need to build a new bobsled track. We don’t need to build this and that. It’s already here.”

Milan and NYC are both bustling cities about a five-hour car ride away from Cortina and Lake Placid, respectively.

Jones said it’s an idea people beyond New York will be excited about.

“We are one state here, marrying these two regions to hold a world-class venue like the Olympics,” said Jones.

While this could not be a possibility for the 2030 Winter Olympics, North Country leaders are hoping it can be a reality for the 2038 or 2042 Games.